Remotely serviceable card-handling devices and related systems and methods

Abstract

An automatic card-handling device, having a card-handling device that includes a controller, the card-handling device configured for shuffling an input set of cards and delivering an output set of cards resulting from the shuffling; and a communication module operably coupled to the controller, wherein the communication module is configured for sending and receiving information related to operation of the card-handling device across a communication port configured for operable coupling to a cellular network, wherein the information related to the operation of the automatic card-handling device includes information about the use of the card-handling device; and wherein a factor in a usage fee for the card-handling device is use of the card-handling device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A card-handling device, comprising:
 an input area configured to support cards; 
 a shuffling mechanism configured to receive cards from the input area and to randomize an order of cards; 
 an output area configured to receive randomized cards from the shuffling mechanism; and 
 a computing device operably coupled with the shuffling mechanism, the computing device comprising a processing unit, nontransitory memory storing software configured at least to control operation of the card-handling device, the memory operably coupled to the processing unit, and a communication module operably coupled with the processing unit and memory, the communication module configured to communicate information with a remote server over a communication network, the communication module being configured to receive at least software updates from the remote server over the communication network and store the software updates in the memory, the processing unit being programmed to apply software updates stored in the memory to the software stored in the memory. 
 
     
     
       2. The card-handling device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is configured to receive software updates comprising firmware upgrades from the remote server over the communication network and store the firmware upgrades in the memory, the processing unit being programmed to apply firmware upgrades stored in the memory to the software stored in the memory. 
     
     
       3. The card-handling device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is configured to receive software updates comprising software patches from the remote server over the communication network and store the software patches in the memory, the processing unit being programmed to apply software patches stored in the memory to the software stored in the memory. 
     
     
       4. The card-handling device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is configured to receive the software updates from the remote server over the communication network in response to an initiation trigger from the remote server. 
     
     
       5. The card-handling device of  claim 1 , further comprising a card-recognition module operatively coupled with the processing unit and the memory, the card-recognition module positioned and configured to detect a presence, rank, and suit of each card transferred from the input area to the shuffling mechanism and wherein the card-recognition module and processing unit cooperatively track card-handling device usage parameters associated with physical usage of the card-handling device during play of a game and store the card-handling device usage parameters in the memory. 
     
     
       6. The card-handling device of  claim 5 , wherein the card-recognition module and processing unit cooperatively track card-handling device usage parameters comprising a number of shuffles performed, a number of cards in the card-shuffling mechanism, a rank and suit of each card in the card-shuffling mechanism, and a position of each card in the card-shuffling mechanism and store the number of shuffles performed, the number of cards in the card-shuffling mechanism, the rank and suit of each card in the card-shuffling mechanism, and the position of each card in the card-shuffling mechanism in the memory. 
     
     
       7. The card-handling device of  claim 5 , wherein the communication module is configured to transmit the card-handling device usage parameters to the remote server to enable the remote server to generate a usage fee based, at least in part, on the card-handling usage parameters. 
     
     
       8. The card-handling device of  claim 5 , further comprising a diagnosis module operatively coupled with the processing unit and the memory, the diagnosis module configured to detect location and relative performance of operational elements of the card-handling device and store the location and relative performance of the operational elements in the memory. 
     
     
       9. The card-handling device of  claim 8 , wherein the communication module is configured to receive a self-diagnosis request from the remote server, responsive to which the diagnosis module is programmed to analyze the location and relative performance of the operational elements and send a repair request via the communication module to the remote server when analysis of the location and relative performance of the operational elements indicates a deficiency in operation thereof. 
     
     
       10. The card-handling device of  claim 8 , wherein the diagnosis module is programmed to analyze the location and relative performance of the operational elements at a predetermined time after the card-handling device is powered on and send a repair request via the communication module to the remote server when analysis of the location and relative performance of the operational elements indicates a deficiency in operation thereof. 
     
     
       11. The card-handling device of  claim 5 , wherein the processing unit is programmed to control operation of the card-handling device in each of a set-up mode, a run mode, and a service mode and to associate the card-handling device usage parameters stored in the memory with the mode in which the card-handling device was operating when each card-handling device usage parameter was generated. 
     
     
       12. A system for monitoring and servicing a card-handling device, comprising:
 a card-handling device, comprising:
 an input area configured to support cards; 
 a shuffling mechanism configured to receive cards from the input area and to randomize an order of cards; 
 an output area configured to receive randomized cards from the shuffling mechanism; and 
 a computing device operably coupled with the shuffling mechanism, the computing device comprising a processing unit, nontransitory memory storing software configured at least to control operation of the card-handling device, the memory operably coupled to the processing unit, and a communication module operably coupled with the processing unit and memory; and 
 
 a server operatively connected to the communication module over a communication network, the server and the communication module configured to communicate information with one another over the communication network, the server being located remotely from the card-handling device; 
 wherein the communication module is configured to receive at least software updates from the remote server over the communication network and store the software updates in the memory, the processing unit being programmed to apply software updates stored in the memory to the software stored in the memory. 
 
     
     
       13. A method of using a card-handling device, comprising:
 randomizing an order of cards in a shuffling mechanism of a card-handling device; 
 outputting randomized cards from the shuffling mechanism to an output area to receive randomized cards from the shuffling mechanism; 
 receiving at a communication module of the card-handling device at least one software update from a remote server over a communication network, the at least one software update configured for application to software stored in nontransitory memory of card-handling device operatively coupled with the communication module to update the software; 
 storing the at least one software update in the memory; and 
 applying the at least one software update stored in the memory to the software stored in the memory utilizing a processing unit operatively coupled with the memory. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein receiving, storing, and applying the at least one software update comprises receiving, storing, and applying a firmware upgrade. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein receiving, storing, and applying the at least one software update comprises receiving, storing, and applying a software patch. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein receiving at the communication module the software update from the remote server over the communication network comprises receiving the at least one software update from the remote server over the communication network in response to an initiation trigger from the remote server. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising detecting a presence, rank, and suit of each card transferred from an input area of the card-handling device to the shuffling mechanism utilizing a card-recognition module operably coupled with the processing unit and memory, tracking card-handling device usage parameters associated with physical use of the card-handling device during play of a game utilizing the processing unit, and storing the card-handling device usage parameters in the memory. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising transmitting the card-handling device usage parameters to the remote server, the remote server configured to generate a usage fee based, at least in part, on the card-handling device usage parameters. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising detecting location and operational status of operational elements of the card-handling device utilizing a diagnosis module operatively coupled with the processing unit the memory and storing the location and operational status of the operational elements in the memory. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising operating the card-handling device in one of a set-up mode, a run mode, and a service mode in response to a user selection and associating the card-handling device usage parameters stored in the memory with the mode in which the card-handling device was operating when each card-handling device usage parameter was generated.